


Do not touch

by SepticStache



Series: Make-up has no gender [5]
Category: Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22701382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SepticStache/pseuds/SepticStache
Summary: Forgotten in the corner of his office, a sheet half-heartedly thrown over it, it searches for new prey.It does not fear away, not even the most innocent ones are save from it's wrath.Elliot shouldn't have offered his help.
Series: Make-up has no gender [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626436
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	Do not touch

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being waaaaaaaay longer than it was supposed to. These stories keep getting longer :'D  
> I hope you enjoy!

The manor was filled with life once again. The others had returned from the tech convention last night and the egos were found sitting at the dining room table, the smell of roast beef getting carried all the way throughout the lower part of the manor.

Even the doctor had found time to sit down with his fellow egos, which was unusual for him since his packed schedule normally didn't allow it.  
The Google's had their own seats at the table, yet their places were void of any plates or utensils, since they didn't need to eat to sustain energy.

Bing was the only one who ate with the others. He didn't need to eat either, but he enjoyed it anyway.  
Dark was sitting at the head of the table, deeply concentrated on a stack of papers sitting in front of him. After a few more moments of awkward silence, Dark sighed.

The demon put down one final signature on the bottom of the page and pushed the stack to the side, clasping his hands together and looking around the table. He cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone.

Yan was in the kitchen, tending to their dinner, yet they still made sure to listen to what Dark had to say.

"As all of you might have heard, there's a new project on its way, which I will be part of. This also means that I will be away from home for an unspecified amount of time."  
Everyone but Wilford broke out in chatter, asking for clarification. Instead he leaned back and watched in amusement.  
Dark's aura flared, stopping their conversations instantaneously.

"Yes, this also means that I will have to assign someone as the head of the house during that time. I have yet to make a decision, but I do have a few people in mind."  
The others started talking again, wondering who he could have meant.

"Is it Wilford?" Bim asked, mentioning towards the pink ego.  
Said ego laughed and leaned back further, putting his feet on the table and earning a glare from the demon.  
"I don't think I need to explain to you why Wilford is not one of those people."  
He turned towards the ego sitting across from him on the other end of the table.

"Wil, you know that I've always respected you. But you and I both know, that this is not a job for you."

The maniac ego grinned.  
"Of course not, dear Darkypoo."  
The demon clenched his teeth, his nails digging into the wooden arm rests of his seat.  
Wilford ignored the others' obvious anger and continued talking.

"I'm not one for doing all that useless paperwork, sitting in that office of yours. I have to move, create, and don't forget all those people I have to interview! I'll leave that job to someone else."

"Well, who's it gonna be then? I sure as hell have something better to do than sit in an office all day." Ed exclaimed, starting another wave of comments coming from the other egos.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm at the studio all day, I don't have time for this!" 

"I can't keep leaving the hospital just to take care of the house. I already have enough paperwork to deal with!"

"I don't even live in this house, I have my own kingdom to take care of!

"The Host would love to offer his services to Darkiplier, yet he has a very important project to tend to himself, and therefore cannot take the position as the head of the manor."

"You know, I didn't get my superpowers for no reason. I'm not even at home half of the time! Saving lives is more important than some boring paperwork!" 

"Our-r-r processors are t-too adv-v-vanced to de-e-eal with your mor-r-rtal problems. Paperwo-o-ork is not part of o-o-our primar-r-ry o-object-tives." 

Eric and Elliot looked at each other from across the table, the latter shrugging at the reactions of their fellow egos. They didn't quite understand the others refusal to become the head of the house. Wasn't that a desirable position?

Dark watched the two egos for a few minutes, before raising his right hand and pointing his index finger in Elliot's direction.

The egos, who were arguing up until this point, fell silent, shocked at the demons decision.  
The silence only remained for a few moments, before they started arguing again.

"You've got to be kidding me! Why would you choose the new kid?!"

"Dark, are you out of your mind?! I get why you didn't choose Wilford, but the kid is what, a week old? He doesn't know anything!"

"He'll mess everything up, Dark! He's too young to know what he's doing. He's not even old enough to leave the house!"

"I can't believe you'd choose him over someone like me. At least I have some experience with being the head of a cooperation. I feel kinda betrayed." 

Dark rolled his eyes. His fellow egos often got on his last nerve, giving him a headache in the process. Sometimes it felt like he was in charge of a bunch of kids.

He made no attempt to hide his displeasure and the high pitched ringing started raising in volume.

"I don't see why I should choose anyone of you, since all of you seemed very sure of your opinion on behalf of my request."  
Ed clenched his jaw, Bim crossed his arms in front of his chest and the self proclaimed superhero huffed. 

"Would we ha-ave kno-own that yo-ou would cho-oose Elliot a-as your s-successor, we-e wouldn't h-have de-e-eclined. Thi-is is hi-ighly u-unprofessional, o-of you."  
Google explained, his fellow versions all nodding.

Ed mentioned towards the towering pirate at the end of the table, who had listened and kept quiet throughout their discussions.  
"What about 'im? He used to order people around as well, right? He's got some experience at least." 

"I'm sure our dear Captain has got experience in that regard, but that's not why I chose Elliot." 

Dark turned towards the Host, who had remained mostly silent up until now, quietly whispering his narrations to himself.  
"Host, what do you think of my decision?"

"The Host sees no negative consequences of Elliot's position as the head of the manor in the near future. Elliot will take his job seriously." 

The others, mainly Ed, Bim and the Googles, groaned, but what Host saw in his visions would always become true in the future. 

Dark had asked for the Host's opinion on several of his decisions before. His foresight helped him prevent everything from small mistakes like keeping the police from catching Wilford after his recent killing spree, to bigger ones like the media finding out about the location of the manor.

Dark put his trust in the Host's vision, and his decision seemed to be right this time.  
He looked at Elliot, who hadn't yet voiced his own opinion on becoming the temporary leader of two dozen egos.

Elliot swallowed around the lump in his throat, the annoyed glances from some of his fellow egos making him nervous.

"I-I don't know… I m-mean, they're right. I don't- I don't really know anything about being a leader. I'm s-sure there's someone who's more qualified for this position. What about Eric? He's the smartest person I know." 

Said ego flushed bright red, his hands holding his favorite yellow piece of cloth in a tight grip.  
Eric wasn't used to having so many people pay attention to him all at once.  
"I-I-I don't k-know. I-I'm not that smart. A-and I-I'm w-way too scared t-to make these i-important decisions, I w-won't get a-anything done." 

The demon raised his hand, silencing the other immediately. He couldn't deny having a soft spot for the younger ego.  
"It's alright, Eric. I know you'd do your best. I will stand by my decision to declare Elliot as my successor, for the time being. As soon as this project has ended, I will resume my role as head of this house." 

He turned towards the Host.  
"During the time of my absence, I expect you to remain at Elliot's side and act as his advisor. I will still be in charge of hiding the manor from unwanted visitors, but from here on, Elliot's decisions, as well as his demands, are to be followed just like mine would. And Elliot?" 

The other perked up.  
"Yes, sir?"  
"I trust you not to do anything stupid. I expect you to take this position very serious. Any mistake could cost us our safety. Do not act upon anything, without consulting with the Host beforehand, am I making myself clear?"  
Dark tried not to scare the young ego too much, but he needed to know that he could trust him.

Elliot nodded eagerly, the hair on the back of his neck standing.  
"Crystal clear, sir!" 

The demon maintained eye contact with the other for a few moments, before nodding.  
"Then it's decided. Elliot, after dinner you will follow me into my office. There we will continue this conversation and I will show you your workplace." 

The e-boy nodded once again, determined to show the other that he would give his best.  
Elliot looked up when he felt someone ruffle his hair. Bing was smiling at him.  
"You got this, bro. Dark couldn't have picked a better person for this job." 

xxxx

Dinner was over, so when Dark stood up, Elliot did as well and followed the other upstairs.  
From the corner of his eye, Elliot noticed the Host walking behind him in a slightly slower pace. He didn't mention it.

Dark lead him down several hallways, so many in fact, that Elliot felt like he got lost in a maze. Everything looked the same, the pictures, the furniture, the carpet and the lanterns.  
It felt like someone was twisting his head around, and Elliot didn't dare to look down the hallway past the demon.  
How would he ever find his way out of here if Dark was gone?  
The presence of the Host behind him was somehow calming. 

After what felt like hours, but in fact were only a few minutes, Dark stopped in front of a dark oak door.  
Elliot just now noticed that the other was holding a small silver key. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.  
The demon twisted the key inside the lock, the mechanism clicking as the door was unlocked.  
It felt final.

The inside of the room was pitch black. Not even the light of the lanterns in the hallway could show what was inside. It was like the room was put on mute. Like time didn't matter inside it.

As soon as Dark had taken a step inside the room, the lights went on. Elliot's eyes had to adjust to the sudden change in brightness, and when he finally could see properly, he gasped.

Dark's office was big. Even bigger than Elliot's entire bedroom.  
The walls were painted a dark gray, with dark oak wood covering the walls half way up. The wooden panels framed two windows on each side, black curtains blocking the moonlight from shining through.  
The first thing that he noticed was the massive oak desk sitting in the middle of the room, in front of a crackling fireplace. The walls around Dark's work place were littered with multiple bookshelves, filled with hundreds of books and folders. In one corner stood a big, antique globe, the world map weathered and old.  
The carpet in the middle of the room seemed to have lost its original color, the red faded out after centuries of being walked on.

One corner of the room seemed like it was abandoned a long time ago. Big, dusty boxes and chests were blocking off what seemed to be a mirror, which had a sheet thrown over it half-heartedly.

Elliot was pulled out of his thoughts when the demon walked further into the room and mentioned towards the chair behind the desk.  
"This will be your workplace for the unforseeable future."  
The e-boy walked around the desk, looking at the chair the demon was offering him.  
Dark nodded.

Elliot sat down and looked up at Dark. This felt wrong, like it was all just a ruse and the demon would soon strike out to punish him for sitting in his chair. He stood up again, taking a step back.  
"I-I don't know. Are you sure that I'm the right person? You should have chosen Ed, o-o-or the Captain. Seriously." 

Dark frowned.  
"Are you saying that I made a mistake?"  
His eyes turned pitch black.

Elliot stumbled backwards, throwing up his hands. "No! No no, t-that's n-not what I-I meant! P-please! I j-just think that - I don't think I'm t-the right p-p-person for this." 

The Host stood in the doorway, watching.

The demon smiled, clasping his hands behind his back.  
"Oh, I have my trust in the Host. You're the right person." 

xxxx

That moment was several days ago. Dark left the manor after assigning Elliot to his role as the temporary leader. The young ego was currently working in Dark's office, the weathered leather chair he was sitting on creaking underneath him every time he moved.

So far his work as the leader was quite simple. He mostly had to sort through the letters that arrived at the manor, stack the most important ones on top of each other on one side of the desk, the ones that could wait for Dark's return on the other. 

Any mail containing bills or similar, for the manor or any incidents caused by Wilford, he collected and send forward to Ed. The cowboy stopped moaning about the lost position as the leader, and was content with helping him instead.

At this moment it was the first time that Elliot was on his own inside the office. Before, the Host used to sit in the corner on one of the couches, reading a book by quietly narrating it to himself. Elliot still couldn't believe how the other was able to read without being able to see the letters themselves.

The Host had excused himself, saying he had to go see the doctor to change his bandages.  
He bid him farewell and told him to wait here for his return.  
The young ego just nodded and resumed work.

crack- 

The e-boys head snapped around, his eyes searching for the source of the noise he just heard. It sounded like someone had dropped a glass bottle, just - muted.  
He looked at the open window to his right.  
Elliot held his breath, thinking that the sound must've come from outside. It could have been the Captain on one of his late night walks in the garden, enjoying a bottle of rum and accidentally dropping it on the ground.  
But he kept listening and yet he didn't hear anything else, no pirate swearing or anything similar to glass breaking.  
It must be the house then. Elliot huffed, looking back down to the letter he was curently reading.

His mind was making him hear things because this place was creeping him out. That was it.

crack- 

He looked up again, his eyes searching for something that could be making these noises. This time he was sure that it came from within this room.

Carefully he set down the pen he was holding and pushed the chair away from the table, standing up. The noise sounded like it came from the opposite side of the room. The corner that was filled with boxes and was badly lit.  
Elliot swallowed.

crack-

There! There it was again! That was definitely not made up by his brain! And now that he got somewhat closer to the corner with the boxes, he could definitely tell that the noise was getting louder. Like falling glass.

Elliot craned his neck, trying to look past the chests that were covering a large portion of the hidden mirror in the back of the corner. 

One corner of the mirror wasn't entirely covered by the sheet, and it was crumbling to the ground, razor sharp pieces of glass covering the wooden floor underneath.  
Elliot was stuck watching the pieces fall, he didn't dare move.

His feet moved on their own.

His hand was reaching out for the sheet before he could process what he was doing.

The sheet was on the ground behind him before he noticed that he had even moved a single muscle.

The mirror was moving.  
Mirrors shouldn't be moving on their own.  
Mirrors shouldn't be leaking red and blue light from it's cracks, yet it did.

His reflection looked like him, but it was oh so wrong.

He wasn't smiling, was he?

.

.

.

The door slammed into the wall next to him, shaking Elliot out of his trance.  
Before he could register what had happened, he felt himself getting flung to the ground, hitting his shoulder and causing him to cry out in pain.  
Darkness swept around him, tendrils coiling around his legs and pulling him towards the open door and the void behind it.

He almost screamed when he looked up, but the noise was pulled from his throat. He felt like he was getting choked.

The young ego was looking into the demons face. The creature above him was looking down at him with malice. Its pitch black eyes leaking black tears, its aura glitching like it was out of its control. Screaming, gripping its hair and moaning in pain.  
The demon tightened its grip on the younger egos legs, still pulling him towards that terrifying void behind its back.

"No! Let me go! I don't want to die! Please!"  
Elliot began to cry.

The demon lowered its head, its rotten breath ghosting over the boys face. The sound of bones breaking could be heard.  
"You made a mistake, my child. Something so small, yet it's such a grave mistake on your part. I'm afraid our dear Host was wrong. I will teach him a lesson after I'm done with you…"  
The boy started thrashing against the creatures restraints, crying out.  
"Help me! Please! Anyone! I don't wanna die!" 

The demon was too occupied with its prey to notice the sound of thundering footsteps coming up from behind.

"Leave me matey alone or ye are goin' ta get a face full o' me boot!" 

Elliot had his eyes squeezed shut in fear, too scared to noticed the missing weight where the creature used to be on top of him. The light coming from the hallway shining through his eyelids made him look up.

The creature was lying underneath the Captain's wooden leg, trying to escape, but Magnum didn't let it move a single muscle.  
"Ye don't think I'll let ye go like that, do ye? Scarin' me lad like that, I should make ye walk the plank." 

Meanwhile the Host had returned to the room as well, his newly changed bandages already soaked through again and closely followed by the doctor.

The Host didn't hesitate to move past the Captain holding down the demon and walked towards the mirror, throwing the discarded sheet over it.  
As soon as the sheet was covering the broken mirror again, the creature stopped moving underneath the Captain's foot, slowly turning back into the familiar shape of Dark.

His aura died out like oxygen starved flames, only a slightly discoloration was left around his form. 

Magnum kept his foot on top of Dark's chest, with slightly less pressure as before, and turned towards the doctor standing in the doorway.  
"Get me lad out o' here, I'll make sure this scallywag won't leave this cabin 'til Elliot be save."

The doctor nodded and went to help the e-boy stand up, causing the young ego to cry out in pain.  
"Is it your shoulder?" Dr. Iplier asked, carefully letting the other lean on him. Elliot nodded, sniffling.  
"Y-yeah, um, a-and my hip too, b-but mostly my shoulder."

The doctor carefully pressed around the injured shoulder, trying to figure out the extent of his wound.  
"It doesn't seem broken or anything. You should be fine in a few days, but I think we should go to my lab anyway and look at that hip of yours. Are you okay to walk?"  
Elliot nodded, letting the other lead the way.

**Author's Note:**

> If you find any spelling mistakes, please do not hesitate to tell me as English is not my first language and it might be easier for you to find any mistakes I might have missed :)
> 
> If you have any requests for future one-shots, please tell me in the comments below :)


End file.
